If you are planning a pregnancy, you can improve your chances of a healthy pregnancy by making some changes to your health and lifestyle now.

MAT 1.jpg

Please click here to find out more about the Ready for Pregnancy campaign. For further languages, click here.

Please see the below links and advice to support you:

There is lots of information on the NHS website

  • If you have pre-existing medical conditions, talk to your consultant regarding the specific advice to you and to discuss medications. Never stop taking medication without talking to your doctor.
  • Folic Acid Supplements are recommended for all pregnant people planning a pregnancy. Folic acid reduces the chance of your baby having a neural tube defect, such as Spina Bifida. We recommend taking a 400 microgram supplement of folic acid every day before becoming pregnancy and every day afterwards until you are 12 weeks pregnant. You can buy Folic Acid at your local pharmacy. If your BMI is over 30 you will require a higher dose of folic acid 5mg, which will need to be prescribed by your GP.
  • Vitamin D We recommend that all women take at least a 10mcg Vitamin D supplement daily while pregnant. This is to reduce the risk of bone density complications for both you and your baby.  If you are Black, Asian, from a Minority Ethnic group, aged over 35 years or with a BMI higher than 30 we would recommend you take a higher dose of 25mcg. Healthy eating and vitamin supplements in pregnancy.
  • Stop smoking: Based on decades of research, smoking during pregnancy has been linked to a variety of health problems for your baby; premature birth, low birth weight, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, miscarriage and breathing problems in the first 6 months of life, it may also affect your ability to get pregnant. Consider which methods you could use now to support giving up smoking before you are pregnant.
  • Stop drinking alcohol: We are not sure about the effect of small amounts of alcohol, because the way the body handles alcohol is different for different people. However, we do know that alcohol crosses the placenta to the unborn baby, so being alcohol-free is safest. This is especially true during the first three months of pregnancy as this is when the baby’s brain is developing. Because you will not know you’re pregnant for the first few weeks, the safest thing to do is not drink any alcohol at all if you’re trying for a baby.
  • Keep to a healthy weight: If you are overweight, you may have problems getting pregnant and fertility treatment is less likely to work. Being overweight also raises the risk of some pregnancy problems.